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My dance instructor got after some of the other kids for not practicing by saying that Trails was a better tap dancer then they were. He heard that and puffed his little chest up proudly. It was so adorable; I wish I’d gotten a picture of it.

That must have been incredibly cute.

On the other hand, when Birch asked me about Trails, I proudly told him about how we were learning to tap dance. I even put his shoes on and let him demonstrate his favorite routine. And Trails was happy to do so. He’s happy whenever he gets to dance and shows it by fluttering his wings and stretching up on his toes.

The other two Pokemon must have been mean, though, because he ended the dance suddenly and shot fireballs at them for making fun of him.

#Chimecho#, I loved your Sandshrew story. I hoped they'd stay together at the end, ahh. The thought of a lost little Sandshrew was so sweet, and you wrote it so well. <3

And AGHH, the Torchick entry was so cute and fun to read. I can totally picture a tap-dancing Torchick, and I loved how she managed to show up the boys at the end. It's laid-back entries like this that make me squee with contentment.

Also, can I make a request? ;o; Gallade+Gengar I would loove. I always wanted to do a little story about the two, but alas, I never got around to it. Can't wait for the next one!

Before I review, I'd like to make a story here. It will be one with the three main Sinnoh starters, but they will have a special guest: a Starly! Anyway, the Sandshrew one was really good. Chimeco, I'm just going to have to say to write a full fic. For the Torchic one, that baby was hillarous and cute at the same time. Groyvle and Marshtomp couldn't face the wrath of the cutest starter Pokemon ever! XD.

IGGLYBUFF
Leaf Green entry: It has a very soft body. If it starts to roll, it will bounce all over and be impossible to stop.

WAILORD
Emerald entry: It breathes through nostrils that it raises above the sea. By inhaling to its maximum capacity, a Wailord can dive close to 10,000 feet beneath the waves.

The cool breeze smelled salty. An Igglybuff sat on the boat’s rails and looked around. Water was all around them; only a green haze on horizon indicated an end to this ocean. Elsewhere, the light blue of the sky moved right into the dark blue of the still waters. “<It’s bigger than any big thing I’ve seen,>” she said.

“Careful there, Melody,” her owner warned. She stroked the tuft of pink fur growing from the Igglybuff’s head. “The water’s very deep around here.”

“<I won’t fall,>” she stated as she looked up at the old couple. She had been an anniversary gift for them, a Pokemon companion when their others had passed away. They were kind, lavishing her with attention. They were both silver-haired and weak-eyed, but they were still active, still traveling the world on a quest to see all of its wonders. Melody adored them, but was waiting on the right time to grow up.

One of the sailors came up to them. “Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Woodward, but you should go inside for the next few hours. There’s a storm nearby. We’re trying to avoid it, but we don’t know where it’s headed.”

“Alright,” the old man replied. “It does look calm, but the sea can change moods rapidly.”

“<I hope it’s not a loud storm,>” Melody said before hopping into the old woman’s arms.

Due to a planning mixup, they had missed the large passenger ship that was going to take them to their next destination. Instead, they were traveling on this moderately sized research ship. Due to the smaller size, the ship began rocking when the storm hit an hour later. The wind blew loud and the rain crashed into the ocean with a steady hiss.

The old couple wasn’t bothered much by it, though. They played chess with a magnetic board. “I once saw a storm at sea where the waves were as tall as three story buildings,” the man said. “That was an exciting voyage.”

“<I think I could live without that kind of excitement,>” Melody replied nervously. The rocking of the ship made it hard for her to stay in one place

“But you never know your true strength unless it is tested.” He nodded to that. Having lived with Pokemon his whole life, he usually knew what she was saying.

The woman was the same way. “That’s true, but she is just a child.”

After a quick knock, the sailor from before opened their cabin door. “Have you got everything secured?”

“I think so,” the woman said, glancing around to see if there was something.

That unsecured something was Melody’s black and gold Luxury Ball, which was sitting on a stand by the door. A particularly strong wave crashed into the boat, causing the ball to tumble off and roll past the door. “<I’ll get it!>” the Igglybuff called, jumping down to the floor after the ball.

“Whoa, hang on there,” the sailor said, reaching down the grab the ball or the Pokemon. Both of them slipped by him and onto the deck.

The rain had made the floor slick, causing Melody to stumble and slid after her Pokeball. The ocean was the complete opposite of when they had been watching just an hour before. The rough waves reached up towards the terribly dark clouds. As a lightning bolt split the sky, Melody saw her ball hit a bump and skip straight into the air. She wasn’t sure what would happen to her if it broke. Afraid that it would be something bad, she jumped up after it. Although it was quite large compared to her size, she managed to catch it.

And then kept going right over the edge of the ship.

She hit the water shrieking. The crashing of the waves soon overwhelmed her ears. Shortly after, those waves threw her into the side of the boat, overwhelming her everywhere else.

-+-

When Melody woke up, she was damp with salt water, but not overly wet. She was in a dry and cool place. The ground below her was smooth and almost rubbery, like that wetsuit she had found in the dive supply room. Curious, she opened her eyes and sat up.

A shimmering shield formed a small domed space around her. It emitted a slight luminescence Beyond that, there was a thick watery darkness. Below her was a dark blue surface. Melody got up to check out the shield.

“<Stay still, little child>” a Pokemon’s voice came from below. “<I don’t want to lose you. Are you better?>”

“<I think so,>” she replied. “<Where are we?>”

“<Underwater. Don’t worry; my power will protect you.>”

She looked down, but there was only the strange blue surface she was on. “<Where are you?>”

The other chuckled. “<Right with you. The surface is still agitated, though. It would be risky to go up. We shall follow the boat until they enter calmer waters.>”

“<But what happened to my pokeball? It fell in with me.>”

There was a low clicking following her question, then the ocean Pokemon replied, “<I think I have found it. Hold still.>”

Melody’s body trembled with a strange movement. She was holding still, yet she seemed to be moving quickly. It was almost like the ship’s motions, but smoother. She looked around for something to explain this, but the dark waters held no clue that she could read. Occasionally she saw hints of other ocean life: the cruising wing shape of a Mantine, the silvery glisten of a Tentacool, the yellow glow of one she could not identify, the shining sharp teeth of another stranger. But none of them gave heed to the small Igglybuff, so they couldn’t be her rescuer.

Then she spotted a golden reflection, followed by a spherical shape. “<Oh, that’s it! But how can I get it? I can’t swim.>”

“<Be patient.>”

The Pokeball moved oddly, finally giving her something to compare the motions she was feeling. It drifted upward, then came towards her. When it came to be above her, it fell straight into the shielded bubble she was in. Melody grabbed hold of it when it landed by her. “<Got it! Thanks.>”

“<You’re welcome. It will take some more time, but the ship will come out of the storm.>”

“<But who are you? What are you? Can I see you?>”

This amused him. “<I am sure you can see me, for you are riding on my back.>”

Melody tapped her foot gently on the blue surface. It could be skin, she guessed. “<This is you?>”

“<Yes. I am a Wailord. I don’t have a particular name; I do not mind. Now what would you be? I’m not about to let a land creature drown in these waters, but I’ve never seen one like you before.>”

“<I’m an Igglybuff! My people call me Melody, so that’s my name. I have to go back to them. They’re old folks and I’m the last Pokemon they have left.>”

“<I see. It is good that you can make friends with humans.>”

“<And with you.>”

“<If you wish. I’ll certainly remember you.>”

Melody giggled. “<I can sing for you. I’m still learning, though, so I can’t sing for long.>”

“<I would like to hear that, thanks.>”

While the Wailord trailed the ship, Melody sang for him.

-+-

He surfaced alongside the research ship, immediately getting their attention. He felt the small Pokemon hop up on his back and heard her squeal for attention. “<Hey, I’m back!>”

It had been an odd encounter when he found the Igglybuff falling in the water. Remembering long-distant days of when he had traveled with a human and other Pokemon, he had gone to catch her, using his Dive skill to give her a safety bubble of air. She reminded him of the Clefairy that he had known back then. She had been a good singer too.

The humans on the ship noticed. “Hey sir, I think he has your Pokemon with him.”

“Excuse me, Wailord,” another sailor said before he climbed over the railing of the ship and jumped onto his back. He picked up Melody and brought her back on board.

An elderly human woman soon came up and took her. “Thank the heavens, you’re safe. We were so worried.”

“<I’m sorry,>” she said, sniffling a bit. “<But I made a new friend!>”

He swam out a little ways to get a better look at those on the ship. He soon spotted little Melody, a round ball of pink fluff that fit nicely in her Trainer’s arms. Turning slightly, he brought up his long fins and waved to her. “<I’m afraid we split ways here. But don’t be sad. Be glad that we were able to meet.>”

Melody waved both of her arms. “<Okay! But wow, I’ve never seen a Pokemon as big as you before! The ocean’s full of big things.>”

Amused by her awe, he shot a quick spout of water into the air. “<I’ve never seen one of your kind either. Take care, Melody.>”

“<Take care, Mr. Wailord!>”

He dove back under the water. A couple minutes later, he jumped out of the water and gave Melody one last wave goodbye.

Last edited by Ysavvryl; 20th January 2009 at 4:58 PM.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Loove.

This was so beautiful! Just one mistake:

The cool breeze smelt salty.

I think this should be 'smelled'. Only certain words end in 'lt', Like 'dealt' should never be 'dealed'.

Occasionally she saw hints of other ocean life: the cruising wing shape of a Mantine, the silvery glisten of a Tentacool, the yellow glow of one she could not identify, the shining sharp teeth of another stranger.

I really love this description.

My favorite part was when she sang to the Wailord- it's such a great image, a tiny Igglybuff singing to a giant whale of a Pokemon. I also really loved Wailord's dialogue, his personality was very memorable. <3 Great entry.

^actually, darkdragontamer did one for Banette. It's back on page 17. I did Shuppet early on too.

I think 'smelt' is an example of regional dialect. Bad thing is, I couldn't tell you which dialect. I have about three or four different dialect influences due to the people I grew up around. Probably should change that anyhow.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Well, I've read from the Ludicolo/Shiftry entry to now and they were all great!
The way you described the Zamastil Forest was great and I hope to see more stories about it.
The journal format for the Torchic entry was cool and Trails is one of my favorite POS characters now.
I liked the characters of Igglybuff and Wailord and I have to agree with TheSequelReturns.
As for the guest entry, it was very touching, and I hope they reunited.
Can I request an Aipom/Piloswine entry?

TURTWIG
Diamond entry: Made from soil, the shell on its back hardens when it drinks water. It lives along lakes.

STARAPTOR
Pearl entry: The muscles in its wings and legs are strong. It can easily fly while gripping a small Pokémon.

The road winding around Mount Coronet was rocky and dusty. The old pick-up truck kicked up a tall plume of dirt behind it. Trying to see more of where he was, a small brown Turtwig tried to climb onto the bench.

His captor, a blue-haired man in a silver and blue jumpsuit, picked him up and set him back onto the floor of the truck bed. “Stay down there, squirt.”

He stretched his head out of his shell. “<Where are we going?>”

However, the grunt didn’t care enough to know what the Pokemon was saying. He kicked the Turtwig back. “Keep it quiet. You’re going to assist on a very important mission.”

“<Like what?>”

“You’ll be a big help,” he added, then yawned and stretched his arms up. “Unlike before. You ought to be grateful that we’re giving you this opportunity to become important.”

Turtwig waved his forepaw in the air. “<Important how?>”

“Your last owner was a twit, leaving his PC account unsecured, then just stuffing you in a box and leaving you there to rot. You’ll be of better use with us.”

He couldn’t be sure of that. He didn’t know what had gone on since he last saw the boy who had chose him. Certainly, there was a time gap of several days that he hadn’t realized were gone by. Had he been abandoned? More importantly, how was he better off with these losers?

The driver snorted. “Like it’s going to live through the process. Don’t get too attached to it.”

“Of course I know better than that.” He rubbed his eyes and slumped down against the cab. “They’d better be grateful for all the hard work we did getting a hold of this one. **** **** lazy admins, expecting us to work all night, then drive all day.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing! Sheesh.” He grumbled under his breath a bit longer, then closed his eyes.

Turtwig waited a moment, then crept up and nosed the grunt’s shoe. He was asleep. The young Pokemon decided that if he was going to make his escape, he’d better go now. Looking around the truck bed, he tried to gather a plan.

Between his short legs and bulky shell, it would be hard to climb up on anything. But if he made the effort, he could get up on the edge of the truck bed. Turtwig started with the angled part of the wheel cover. After pulling himself onto that, he could stretch up and hook his front legs onto the edge. From there, he lifted himself to look over the edge.

Due to the slope and the winding nature of the road, the truck was going fairly slow. He was facing up the mountain, so he might be able to make it. His back legs flailed for a moment until he got one propped against a hook. Then he pulled and pushed himself up and over the edge of the truck.

Ducking into his shell quickly, he let it absorb the impact of falling onto the rocky road. His momentum made him roll over a couple of times, thankfully ending with him upside up. His sprout got bent up a little, but that could fix itself in a few days. He then remained in his shell while the dust plume passed over him. Some of it slipped into the cracks and made him sneeze. The Galactic grunts kept on going.

It took a few minutes, but the air and dust settled back down. Turtwig peered out of his shell. The road appeared empty. He brought his head out further and looked around. This was a desolate area, all craggy. There were plants growing, but they were harsh weeds that defied the tough landscape. Although the road was in decent condition, there were no other signs of human habitation. He was on his own now.

Deciding to locate some place with water to hide, Turtwig started walking along the road. This place seemed arid, so he might have to travel some ways. Downward seemed like a better choice, even though that meant he was headed in the same direction as the truck.

“Sccrrriiiiii!”

Hearing that intimidating shriek, he froze. Next thing he knew, something snatched him from above and took off into the air. The ground dropped away at a sickening pace. Turtwig felt like his head was spinning.

A minute later, he was dropped onto a small ledge. The large black and gray bird that had swiped him landed next to him. She had a large crest over her head that seemed like a great feathery knife. She clucked proudly. “<Hello, dinner.>”

His mouth felt dry with fear, but he still managed to squeak out, “<Um, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say back, so hello.>”

Startled, the Staraptor ruffled her feathers. “<You’re not supposed to say anything! Sheesh, are you trying to make me lose my appetite or something?>”

That did seem like a good idea, to him anyways. “<Sorry. It’s just, it’s like my mom says. Some days the world is like a big happy meadow and other days everyone is out to eat you.>”

“<Can’t argue with that.>” She leaned down and sniffed. “<You smell dirty. I’ll have to wash you off first.>”

He shook his head. “<Oh, no, that’s normal. My shell is made up of dirt.>”

“<What?!>”

“<Yeah, it’s packed dirt that I’ve accumulated all these days. I’ve made good progress; don’t you agree?>”

She gagged. “<Eww, that’s disgusting. On second thought, I don’t think I want to eat you.>”

“<What, am I not good enough for you?>” he teased.

“<I didn’t think that you were a dirt clod. So anyhow, sorry for snagging you for dinner. Is there anything I can do to make up for it?>”

“<What can you do?>”

Staraptor stood up proudly and patted her chest with a wing. “<I can beat up anybody you’d like! Doesn’t matter if they’re ten times bigger than me. I’ll cream ‘em good. That’s because my kind are the strongest birds ever.>”

Turtwig wasn’t too sure of that, but it seemed better not to argue. “<No thanks, I don’t need anybody turned to cream. Are there any human towns around? I’d like to figure out what happened to mine.>”

She pointed off to the west, down the mountain. “<Sure thing, there’s a nice one over that way. In fact, they got one of those Gym places that likes green grassy sorts. You could get a job there.>”

He perked up to this news. “<Really? That’d be great. Can you fly me there?>”

“<Sure thing, dirt clod. Oh, and you might want to close your eyes if that little flight earlier nearly made you sick.>”

Staraptor picked him up again, then flew Turtwig to Eterna City Gym.

-Next time: Gardenia chews out Turtwig’s former Trainer.

Not really, but that would be funny.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Ahh, poor Turtwig! One bad thing after another- good thing he was bright enough to save himself at the end. I hope he finds a nicer trainer who can appreciate him. >.< Great work as always, no spelling/grammar errors that I could see!

I'm aware of that, I'm sorry. It will show up when it's still the 26th where I am (I still got time). I found a hang up, though, in that one of those words the Serebii server doesn't like is in the story somewhere and I have to hunt it down. It'll be here. EDIT: It hated my first sentence and I don't know why.

KANGASKAN
Emerald entry: If you come across a young Kangaskan playing by itself, never try to catch it. The baby's parent is sure to be in the area, and it will become violently enraged.

Cold rain dripped into his eyes. He blinked and shook his head, then continued bicycling along the muddy route. Someone had bravely tried to make a stone road, but the muds made everything slick. It was somewhat dangerous, but the lesser used of two winding routes to a remote city. And when it came to criminal business, the lesser used was the better choice.

The city of Sia Gendru was his goal. There was some festival going on there later tonight. A religious holiday? A celebration of some long-ago victory? A tribute to independence? A special time for a different culture? He wasn’t quite sure. He had the notes in his backpack, but didn’t want to stop just for that. What he was after was a special charm made in Sia Gendru that enhanced certain Pokemon abilities. The managers of his group wanted one to see if they could make one.

He was regretting his decision to sign up for the job, though.

The bike sloshed through the veil of mud. The chain spit water droplets everywhere, slowly soaking his pant legs. Because of the haze, he couldn’t see hazards until he was almost on top of them. Because of the winter’s frosts and thaws, the rock road was further cracked and dotted with potholes. His raincoat didn’t do an adequate job of retaining heat and he knew he would be chilly if he stopped. The standard uniform would have kept him warmer (and drier), but it would stand out too much and betray him.

This was all before he arrived in Sia Gendru. Once there, he had to consider how to get a hold of the charm, who might be guarding it, if there was a hiding spot... if he could get a warm shower. That would be nice, really. He could feel slick mud that had been flung from the front wheel starting to slide down into his socks.

Letting out a huff of water vapor, he looked ahead. There was a roadside shrine of some sort. It was brightly colored in orange, red, and yellow. It had no walls, only a rocky slab floor, four columns, and an elegantly designed roof. The roof was all that mattered to him. He parked his bike next to it and took shelter for a short break.

There was a low table with a few worn offerings: tiny bowls, foreign coins, little boxes with prayer slips peeking out. This sat in front of a statue of a legendary Pokemon he wasn’t familiar with. It was probably some myth the locals believed in, nothing that really interested him. He was interested in the real and powerful Pokemon of the world.

However, he had lost his last team in a debacle about a busted mission a month back. It hadn’t been his fault. Everything had been going smoothly and he had nearly gotten away with the artifact. And then there was that Trainer. Nobody had warned him that there would be some ten-year-old kid running around with the most powerful Pokemon he had ever seen. The kid had a Raticate, a freaking common Raticate, that was at least twice as strong and quick as any that he had seen other associates use. It was ridiculous.

The blame had somehow fallen on him and his team had been taken. Not that he cared. If they could be beaten by a stupid Raticate, he couldn’t use them. Surely the syndicate had some better Pokemon in storage. If he succeeded in claiming this charm, he should prove himself worthy of those better Pokemon.

Now that he had stopped, he was getting cold. The near-freezing rain was going as steady as ever. He looked around for any hope that it would let up. Nothing really, but...

Further up the road, he could see a small shadow through the rainy haze. It seemed to be a child splashing through the muddy puddles. But in this chill? As it landed, he realized that it was much too small to be a human child capable of jumping like that. It was some kind of Pokemon.

He bit his lip. He was supposed to turn over any Pokemon that he acquired. However, didn’t that concern stolen Pokemon? If he caught a wild one, he might be able to keep it. Some guys he knew did have personal Pokemon that could not be taken. That would keep him from finding himself in this kind of situation again. But would he want a random Pokemon he found on a strange Route?

The Pokemon kept traveling down the road, closer to the shrine. He could begin to make it out: a broad oval head with small outgrown ears, a thick tail for balance, strong leaping legs, a dark brown and tan skin that was thick and hard. It was around two and a half feet tall. It didn’t seem familiar until he saw the pointed claws on all four paws and the way it playfully jabbed at the puddles as it landed. She was the youngest Kangaskan that he had ever seen alone.

His heart thumped in excitement. Those were really rare and powerful. This kind of Pokemon was restricted to the upper levels, not given to grunts like him. But if she was his own, they shouldn’t be able to do anything about it. Right?

It was worth a shot.

He opened his backpack quietly, to avoid drawing attention from her. He had several pieces of equipment, including the secret Bandit Pokeball. When a stolen Pokemon was released, it was normally hostile to its captor. If it was transferred over to the black and silver Bandit, though, they would initially be released confused, but less hostile. The manual said that it could be used as a normal Pokeball and the captive would not become confused. He could only hope that it was true.

With a Bandit in hand, he hid by a column and waited for the young Kangaskan to come by. Rare Pokemon were usually hard to catch wild, and the Bandit wasn’t much better than a cheap Normal Pokeball. But he could chuck some mud at it. That would startle her enough to make things easier. And since she was a youth, she might be easier that way too.

She continued jumping along the road, landing in mud puddles whenever she could. If she even noticed, she paid him no heed. He knelt down and scooped up some of the thicker mud. When she splashed close enough to splatter the column, he came out and...

Stopped dead in his tracks. Behind the young Kangaskan was her mother, a grand eight foot tall dame that looked like she could yank the shrine’s columns right out of the ground. She could easily snap his bones. The daughter looked up at him and barked curiously. The mother smiled darkly and shook her head. She flexed the claws on her left paw, then drew them across her neck in warning.

She wasn’t worth taking on alone. He stepped back into the shrine carefully, holding his hands up. The mud ball he’d been holding splattered onto the ground. The mother watched him without blinking. Unnerved by this, he backed into the offering table and nearly stumbled onto the statue. But he caught himself and kept watching her.

After a minute which seemed to last forever, she took her eyes off him and went back to watching her child. The adult walked instead of hopped, with surprisingly soft footsteps. That was how he had missed her completely. Hoping they would pass by soon, he stepped over to where the rain streamed off the roof and washed the mud off his hands. This wouldn’t go into his mission report. Not a chance.

The daughter eyed the road, spotting a particularly large puddle by the corner of the shrine. Engrossed in her game, she shook herself, then bounced as high as she could manage to land in the puddle with a grand splash. Mud went flying everywhere: onto the columns, onto his bike, onto the mother, onto him, onto the offerings, onto the statue.

The mother made a concerned gasp. He looked at the statue and noticed that the mud had splattered onto the legendary Pokemon’s face. Although he didn’t know anything about this myth, he knew that it generally wasn’t a good idea to anger one of the legends. This dragon might not care about a lowly roadside shrine, or it might be fickle enough to be enraged over a muddy statue. It might not even exist, or it might be able to take immediate vengeance. One could never be certain.

In this case, it was best to not take any chances. He remembered getting a packet of finger wipes from the last restaurant he ate in. Finding them in the front pocket of his backpack, he used those to wash the mud off the dragon statue. As he cleaned off the dragon’s eyes, he noticed that yellow gemstones had been placed into the sockets. Temporarily shined by the wipe’s moisture, they seemed to gleam with life.

It caused his blood to turn icy cold. It was just a statue, and yet there was something about this shrine. Looking at the yellow eyes made him uneasy. It was like his mother had caught him stealing cookies and was about to scold and punish him. He felt guilty, but he wasn’t sure of what.

There was a hard tap on his shoulder.

Tensing, he managed not to jump in fright and knock over the offering table. He turned and looked up at the mother Kangaskan. Her head barely cleared the roof of the shrine. It was far more intimidating to see her from this angle. But she just nodded and made a soft yet rough growl. Was she grateful that he had taken care of the unintentional insult?

He nodded back, finding his mouth too dry for anything else. Satisfied with this, she turned and left the shrine to say something to her daughter. The Kangaskan girl’s eyes went wide and she nearly whimpered. The adult told her something that seemed to settle her nerves. She then took another step into the rainy road, then bounded away. She was gone.

The young one was still there. She looked at him, tilted her head. She made a quiet bark that could have been saying anything. Was it really going to be that simple?

He got up, but made the mistake of glancing back at the statue. The dragon’s yellow eyes were glaring at him accusingly. The mud was gone, so the young Pokemon was in no trouble. But somehow, he found himself being judged of something he couldn’t understand. Or maybe it was something he did know, but conveniently ignored.

He went ahead and used the Bandit ball to capture the Kangaskan. She didn’t struggle any, so it locked her to him with no difficulty. But that only served to make the statue’s gaze more intense.

Grabbing his bike for a running start, he set off back on route to Sai Gendru. The rain never did let up. Neither did the gaze of the unknown legend.

Last edited by Ysavvryl; 27th January 2009 at 1:31 AM.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

It was somewhat dangerous, but the lesser used of two winding routes to a remote city.

The last half of this sentence sounded awkward

and he knew he would be chilly if he stopped.

So did this.

This one was good. I was surprised he got the little one. I wonder why. Must be something to do with that legendary. Seemed a little too good to be true. It was nice though. A dark, evil, and yet soft touch to it. Very nice! I like the rain, mud, and the legendary. All added into the mood greatly. Even the pouncing little one. All was wonderfully portrayed.

I've been reading these, they're fantastic. If it's not too much trouble, could I request a Dunsparce/Qwilfish story? Or if that's too difficult, they could be separate. Or if you're too busy, you could disregard this altogether...

I really liked this one, especially the main character's shady past and the mother's attitude. The Bandit was a nice touch too, and I was surprised that he managed to get it without getting his head ripped off. Great job ^_^

@Missingno. Master: I'll do that. I love odd combos. Just look at the other two in the 'On Deck' status.

Whenever there's a thread bashing my dear Pokedex, these two always pop up. Garchomp because it can't learn Fly and Dragonite because the claim of flying around the world in sixteen hours seems like a stretch. So of course I did my best to show how they potentially could. Next time you see someone complaining about those entries, point them to this counter-argument story. And probably to the Cubone/Marowak one too.

GARCHOMP
Diamond entry: When it folds up its body and extends its wings, it looks like a jet plane. It flies at sonic speed.

DRAGONITE
Leaf Green entry: Only a very few people ever see this Pokemon. Its intelligence is said to match that of humans.

The most dangerous Mystery Dungeon of the region no longer existed. Known as The Trembling Tunnels, it had been a place where a team could prove themselves the best of the best, if they survived. To get to it, one had to pass through a vast field of stinking sinkholes and poisonous pitfalls. Even the strongest and nastiest of Poison Pokemon could become overwhelmed by the lethal vapors.

Once the team found one of several entrances, they had to make their way through confusing and winding tunnels. These tunnels were littered with lava pools, steam geysers, and frail stalactites. And as the name suggested, earthquakes were rampant. It was highly likely that the path out would be obstructed. In order to prove that they made it, they had to acquire and bring back a rare Star Ruby from deep within the Dungeon. Rumor had it that an even greater treasure lie within.

However, that treasure was possibly long gone along with the dungeon. Last month, The Trembling Tunnels had experienced a massive explosion. It had been felt in distant regions. A giant cloud had mushroomed from the spot, putting those within view in awe. But then that cloud had rained rocks and ash everywhere. It had been a frightening time.

What remained? No one was quite sure. No one had been brave enough to come out and see, fearing another explosion. So he was the first, as far as he knew. He had the most experience with The Trembling Tunnels, but he was never after the Star Rubies. He was after the special treasure, the thing of legends.

He was Jaithan, a Garchomp. He didn’t work with a team. Teammates would drag him down. Those who could match his speed usually couldn’t match him in battle, and those who matched him in battle couldn’t match his speed. Jaithan didn’t mind. Being around other people usually got on his nerves.

He made it through the toxic fields the same way he always had. Running on all fours, he kept low to the ground. He kept his elbows out, as the fins on the back of his arm kept him stable at full speed. He could hold his breath for a long time, and knew by feel which air was dangerous and which air was safe. In this manner, he could fly along the ground from safety zone to safety zone. Where a team could take weeks to scour this deadly land, Jaithan could zig-zag across it in hours.

As he approached the central area above the dungeon, he noticed strange things. The land itself had sunk. He used to see a large shallow dome above The Trembling Tunnels, but it was gone. Did that mean the dungeon, and its legendary treasure, was truly gone? After dozens of attempts to find it, the heavens merely laughed at him.

No, it had to still be there. It was a treasure greater than any other. It had to exist. It was known as the Holy Nail. It showed up from time to time in history. Although the stories varied, it was obvious that whoever managed to find the Holy Nail was destined for greatness. He had already proved himself to be the best in the land, yet he wanted something greater. He felt like his growing legend was incomplete. Gaining this treasure of treasures might be just the thing he needed.

Jaithan arrived where one of his regular entrances had been, near the center of the dungeon. But it was no longer there. A massive chunk of the land was gone. In its place was a gurgling gray lake of mud. Escaping gasses caused large bubbles to rise from the surface, bursting with hisses of dangerous vapors. Steam filled the air. Strange that it had changed like this.

He shook his head. This was not good. The books he had read indicated that the Holy Nail was last left here. How was he to find it now? And, what if it had been blasted away with the rest of this rock? If that was the case, then where was it now?

Normally, he preferred to stay close to the ground, but for this, he lifted himself on his hind legs and looked into the air. Where would it have gone? He had been in and out of various damaged dungeons, but had seen nothing resembling the Holy Nail. It was reported to be a shed claw of the Original One, but anyone stumbling onto it should recognize the power of the One it came from. Not only that, but it had been marked centuries ago with an open eye, a symbol of great power and knowledge.

While he was musing on what to do, he spotted a ripple in the sky above. Something up there was flying unbelievably fast. It slowed, then descended in a wide circle. Jaithan dropped back to all fours; his dark blue skin didn’t blend well with the brown rocks, but it made him less obvious. The flying Pokemon descended a long time, indicating that it had been extremely high. What sort of Pokemon could reach that height and speed?

It was a fellow Dragon, one even rarer than him: a Dragonite. She had yellow skin over a large body. With her relatively small wings, it was hard to imagine how she flew, let alone so tremendously fast. Of course, it was hard for him to imagine how it was to actually fly. The Earth was sacred to his kind. He felt strongest when he was close to it.

The Dragonite stopped to hover over the putrid lake. She gazed over the remains of The Trembling Tunnels. Within the steam and vapors, Jaithan could see a strange force coming from her wings. It seemed that her true wings were much larger than what could normally be seen. They were strong for both hovering and racing. He felt quite jealous.

However, her kind was known as the wisest of all mortal Dragons. They were hailed as sages; they knew and understood many things that other Pokemon did not. She may know something that he needed to know. So he moved closer to her. “Greetings, cousin.”

“Greetings, cousin,” she replied, not looking at him. “The same force that made the Star Rubies made this deadly lake. The forces of the Earth are so strange, to both create and destroy.”

“The forces of Earth are sacred,” he replied.

“As such. Now you know what has come of this place, so now you may go. Hanging around longer could bring your doom.”

“I came looking for something.”

“Something you left for another to find? That is unfortunate, to have lost a treasure. You’re out of luck in finding it.”

“I’ve never left anything here. And it’s not the Star Rubies. Once you got down far enough, they were easy to find.”

She looked at him gravely. “Then you must be looking for the Holy Nail.”

“It was here?” he asked before he could think to check his excitement. So he countered it with a more subdued, “Rumor had it that it was left here over a century ago, and yet no one has found it.”

“No one had returned with it,” she corrected.

“Where would it be now?”

She shook her head. “It could be anywhere. It’s probably not here, just somewhere in this land. Someone will find it.”

“How should I go about finding it?”

“Why do you want to find it?”

He tilted his head, curious at her lack of desire. “Doesn’t everybody want to find it? It is a power directly from the Original One. Those who hold it become more powerful, perhaps even immortal themselves until they let it go.”

She hovered around to face him fully. “Why do you want more power? You can reach this dangerous place and you have survived it. You have all the power you should ever need and then some.”

He straightened his front legs up to lift his head. “I want to find the greatest treasure, that’s it. You seem to know something about it, so how could I go about finding it when it could be anywhere in this land?”

“But can you take the treasure?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It is a source of great power, yes, but not everyone can handle this power. It is said that only the truly innocent can touch the Holy Nail without going insane. Do you know your heart to be truly innocent?”

He crouched back to the ground. “That’s just part of its legend. Nothing can affect people like that.”

“Nothing? Lesser treasures can cause great strife, dividing teams and inciting battles. The greatest treasure can cause the greatest wars. Many Pokemon will die so that one can claim it. But if this is so, what is so great about it? What is Holy about it anymore? Perhaps only the truly innocent can remind it of its origin and thus becalm its bloodthirsty desires.”

Jaithan snorted. “That’s just plain ridiculous. It’s Holy, so that’s that. And I will find it.” He took off across the poisonous fields again. He would find it. And if someone else happened to find it first, well, he’d find a way to get it before they realized just what they had on their paws.

He would hold the Holy Nail.

-+-

The Dragonite sage sighed. “And thus, the strife continues. Forgive the foolishness of us poor mortals, oh great ones.”

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

w00t w00t! Dragonite. Tied for my favorite with Sandshrew. I liked this. The ideas of a Holy object not really being Holy since it is saught after, and causes strife. I like how the dungeon was a pretty nasty and vile place. A place full of evil. Inside, lys a 'Holy' item. Seems to be much meaning (though, I may be over analyzing lol!)